Thesis (D.W.S.)--Institute for Worship Studies, 2005. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 161-175).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 225-231).

The role of emotion with regard to human functioning and human well-being has been a topic of much consideration and debate throughout the ages. In both secular and Christian fields of study (e.g. philosophy, theology, biology, psychology, and psychotherapy) people have examined emotional experience from different vantage points. Since the second half of the 20th century renewed interest in the importance of affect in human life is especially notable in disciplines such as neuroscience, psychology, and psychotherapy. This is reflected, for example, in the development of a secular psychotherapeutic model that understands experiential engagement to be a crucial key to psychological change, namely Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT). There is no distinctive Christian counseling model that has as its main paradigm emotion experience. Yet, several Christian models exists in which experiencing emotions is considered to be important in the process of change. The thesis of this work is that the theologically and psychologically sophisticated Christian emotion-focused model of therapy suggested in this dissertation will correct and enhance existent Christian and secular emotion-focused models. Chapter 1 covers the thesis of the dissertation, reasons why the dissertation makes a helpful contribution to the field, background information, methodology, and delimitations. Chapter 2 presents theological reflections on the topic of emotion, especially as it pertains to topics such as the nature of emotions, emotional health and disorder, and emotional healing. Chapter 3 consists of an examination of secular Emotion-Focused Therapy. This chapter will discuss this model and assess what aspects can or cannot be used by a Christian Emotion-Focused approach. In chapter 4 three contemporary Christian models that use emotion experience in their counseling approach are described and evaluated. These are Theophostic Prayer Ministry developed by Smith, Inner Healing Prayer as defined by Tan, and the Elijah House model of the Sandfords. The purpose of this dissertation is to contribute to the field of Christian psychology by proposing the necessary elements of a comprehensive Christian Emotion-Focused model that is a corrective to existent models. Based on the research of the previous chapters, a preliminary outline of such a model is presented in chapter 5.

<p>To exist racially "in-between," has been characterized as a tragic existence in the modern world. The loneliness and isolation of these lives have given rise to the term the "tragic mulatto." The dissertation Mulatto Theology: Race, Discipleship, and Interracial Existence theologically interprets mulatto lives making visible and interrogating the wider reality of racialized lives in modernity. The mulatto's body is significant in that it discloses what is masked in modern (and particularly white) identities.</p><p>Culture, identities (individual and communal) are not only interconnected, but they are mixtures where peoples become presenced in the lives and practices of other "alien" peoples. This mixture requires reflection upon the formation of all identities, and the ways these identities become visible within the world. Given this arc of identity any reflection upon Christian identity must articulate itself within the tensions of these identities and the practices that mark such identities within the world.</p><p>In examining the formation and performance of mulatto bodies this dissertation suggests these bodies are theologically important for modern Christians and theological reflection in particular. Namely, the mulatto's body becomes the site for re-imagining Christian life as a life lived "in-between." The primary locus of this re-imagination is the body of Christ. </p><p>A re-examination of theological reflection and Scripture regarding his person and work display his character as mulatto, or the God-man. But not only is his identity mulatto, but his person also describes the nature of his work, his re-creation of humanity. So</p><p>understood Christian bodies can be construed as "interracial" bodies -- bodies of flesh and Spirit that disrupt modern formations of race. The Christian body points to a communal reality where hybridity is no longer tragic, but rather constitutive of Christian discipleship. This new, hybrid and "impure" way of existing witnesses to God's redemptive work in the world.</p> / Dissertation

Thesis (D. Min.)--Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, 2000. / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 170-184).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2002. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 185-186).

Šiais laikais ne tik Lietuvoje, bet ir pasaulyje yra juntama vilties stygiaus problema. Šiame darbe yra nagrinėjama vilties trukumo problema, remiantis popiežiaus Benedikto XVI enciklika „Spe Salvi“. Čia išryškinama ne tik vilties trūkumo priežastys, bet taip pat svarstomos ir ugdymo galimybės. Pirmojoje šio darbo dalyje yra nagrinėjama vilties teologija, remiantis enciklika „Spe Salvi“. Čia yra paryškinama keletą bruožų, kas būdinga vilčiai. Pirmiausiai, viltis yra į ateitį nukreipta. Bet ji svarbi yra ir dabarčiai. Taip pat labai svarbus vilties gelbėjantis pobūdis. Ir pirmame skyriuje taip pat pateikiama keletas pavyzdžių, kaip viltis gelbėja. Bet bene svarbiausia, kad tikroji viltis yra tik Dieve. Antroje dalyje apžvelgiama beviltiškumo priežastys Lietuvoje. Kas Lietuvos žmonėms trukdo stipresniam vilties reiškimuisi. Nemažai antropologinių žaizdų yra Lietuvoje, kurių šaknis būtų galima įvardinti vilties stoka. Mūsų tautoje yra įsišakniję alkoholizmas, esame viena iš pirmaujančių valstybių pagal savižudybių skaičių. Trečioje dalyje buvo praktiškai pamėginta pritaikyti Benedikto XVI enciklikoje siūlomi vilties ugdymo kriterijai. Popiežius siūlo, maldą, kančią, veiklumą ir iniciatyvos skatinimą, bei teismą, kaip vilties ugdymo galimybes. Tas buvo mėginta daryti, atsižvelgiant į šiandieninę Lietuvos situaciją, pasiremiant tyrimo metu gauta medžiaga. / Nowadays Lithuania, as well as the rest of the world faces the problem of the lack of hope. The current thesis explores the problem of the lack of hope and the possibilities for the cultivation of hope on the basis of Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical Spe Salvi. Part One of the thesis analyses the theology of hope with a particular focus on the encyclical Spe Salvi. Although hope is directed towards the future, it is also vitally important in the present. Similarly significant is the redeeming character of hope. Chapter One provides some examples which disclose the redeeming character of hope. Yet, probably the most significant thing is that true hope can be found only in God. Part Two features the reasons for hopelessness in Lithuania with a particular focus on the obstacles that prevent any stronger expression of hope among the Lithuanians. Lithuanian people bear a considerable number of anthropological wounds the roots of which can be traced in the second Soviet occupation. Those wounds, those factors depriving people of hope lie in alcoholism and Lithuania’s top position in the list of world suicide rate. Part Three is an attempt to apply the criteria for the cultivation of hope as proposed in Benedict XVI’s encyclical Spe Salvi in the situation of the present day Lithuania. Pope offers prayer, suffering, activity, promotion of initiative and the Last Judgment as the fields for exercising hope.

According to this study, research indicates that there is not a lot of information surrounding the focus on prayer in church polity and therefore attention is lacking in this field during the training of office bearers and thus the content and composition of prayers leaves one untouched. The focus of this study is a theoretical approach to the place and content of prayer in church polity according to the practical ministry of prayer during three consecutive synods of the Reformed Churches in South Africa. The content of chapter one focuses on the idea that both Scripture and theological literature offer material to be integrated into a synthesis of what the ius constituendum imply and where to the practise as ius constitutum is measured with the purpose on an increased focus on prayer in church polity. Chapter two elaborates on the different aspects of prayer in conjunction with church polity in which the communal prayer of church leaders imposes certain requirements to the prayer leader in connection with the use of language, content and agenda that is embedded on the confession that Christ is the Head of and reigns over his Church. In the third chapter the focus is fixed on the four core elements of the church: unity, holiness, catholicity, apostolicity and the implication it has on prayer in the reformed church polity regarding more explicit intercession in prayer. The fourth chapter is an empirical examination of 121 prayers that was recorded during the 2003, 2006 and 2009 synods of the GKSA in accordance to the ius constituendum as discussed in chapters two and three summarised under twenty headings. The final chapter suggests corrections based on hermeneutical interaction between the ius constituendum and ius constitutum and resulting in improved formulated prayers that focus on the affairs of the agenda. Prayer ministry should not be left to the improvisation of the moment, but detail preparation should be done. Errors which were pointed out in this study, should thus be prevented. In church government, prayers should reflect the agenda in all prayer elements focusing on the kingdom of God from within the church with an outward spiral to the whole cosmos. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Church Polity))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011

Thesis (D. Min.)--Ashland Theological Seminary, 2005. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 138-144).

Thesis (D.W.S.)--Institute of Worship Studies, 2005. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 302-318).